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Rowan woke first. Grace had curled herself near him, her left calf between his legs, head on his chest, in the same position she fell asleep in. Strange, I don’t feel any cramp… A rumination assaulted him. Has sex been an impulse, for Grace? A reward for saving Lizzie? Or an attempt to secure a protector, in a changing and dangerous world? His sigh woke her up.

“Mooorning…” Grace yawned, stretching herself, blushing, and avoiding his eyes.

He swallowed a lump and tried his hand at a compliment. “Thank you, it was a beautiful night.”

“You silly!” she fondled his cheek. “No thanks necessary. I just indulged myself with a treat… You’re cute, and…”

There were many meanings in her gesture, but Rowan decided not to dwell on them. “I think I’ll go out for a hike.”

“Weather looks nice,” she looked outside, getting up from the bed. “Will you… come back?”

Her voice had a slight shake, and he understood. Last night was more than casual sex. She yearned for a true partner, a relationship. “At least for tonight. If the situation is stable, I’ll go back to Louisville.”

“I understand,” she nodded, a little sad.

“But I’d like to stay in touch… and see where this goes.” He searched her eyes, keeping eye contact for a moment. They both were single, that was clear enough. Step by step, they could build something, or call it quits if it didn’t work out, but in a civilized manner.

Grace smiled back. “And if things are not stable?”

“I guess I could rent a room here, like Dmitri.”

“If you work for it,” she giggled and moved to grab his thing, making Rowan yelp and cover his groin. “Sorry!” Grace double facepalmed. “This is so not me… I’m going crazy.”

“Pay no nevermind. So… how are we going to… err… act?”

“Oh, goodness… Yeah… Well, Lizzie sleeps late on Sundays, so... You go down first, I’ll sneak in my room and come down later.”

“Sounds good.”

“You shall not pass!” they heard Lizzie’s voice screaming. “They have to cuddle and kiss as long as they need to. He’s good daddy material. I won’t let you ruin it for me.”

“Oh, my God!” Grace blurted. “The little monster is up."

"And figured things out," Rowan pointed.

"Of course, it’s half past ten,” Grace sighed, checking her phone.

“Rowan Allinder, come here this instant!” another voice yelled.

“It’s Isla,” Grace said.

“Yeah... I know. Let’s dress and see what she wants.”

“She called your name, not mine. I’ll take a shower.”

“Pfff… for whatever reason, I feel the need to hide.”

“True, Isla has this effect on people. Go.”

Throwing a T-shirt and his pants on him, and a pair of espadrilles he had in reserve, Rowan hurried down the stairs. Lizzie was blocking the way with her arms spread wide, while a furious and fuming policewoman tried to go around. Such good looks, but when she yells… goodness! A crow sounds nicer.

“Morning, Isla,” Rowan said.

In a silent answer, she showed him both her middle fingers.

“Hey, that’s rude!”

“You think so? Then have some more," she repeated the gesture. "Enough talking, you’re coming with me."

"Why?"

"You'll see. You're in big trouble, let me tell you that.”

“What have I done now?” Rowan protested, raising his palms heavenward.

“What have— never mind. I’ll show you what you did.”

“Hi, Isla. What’s up?” Dressed in a bathrobe, Grace had appeared on the staircase, meaning she had postponed her shower.

“I’m borrowing your boyfriend.”

“What do you mean, boyfriend?” Grace jerked her head back, pretending to frown in befuddlement.

“You did cuddle all night, right?” Lizzie stomped on the floor, with a menacing tone in her voice. “Tell me you did your duty. I need a daddy!”

“That’s no way to talk to your mother, miss!” Grace counter-attacked. “Go dress, we’re going to church.”

“Pleeeeease, let’s stay home….” the girl wailed, grabbing her head between her hands. “It’s so boring.”

Grace stood firm, pointing behind her, somewhere on the first floor. “Request denied. Some discipline would do you good. Now go dress!”

“What church are you going to?” Rowan asked while Lizzie climbed the stairs with sagged shoulders, like going to the scaffold.

“Whatever I feel like at the moment," Grace said. "I’m not much into religion, but I love praying with others.”

“Hm… I do the same.”

“Go to the one around the corner,” Isla said softly, with a smile that was more of a grin. “You’ll have a nice surprise.”

Grabbing Rowan by the elbow, she pulled him after her, frowning, so as not to let any way to interpretation. He was supposed to follow or else. She’s so hot when she’s angry… If only her voice would be not so strident.

“Morning, Rowan.” Outside, Dmitri was watering the garden.

“Hi. Tell Grace I’ll be back as—”

“Don't hold your breath,” Isla said. "This will take a while." The police car was parked in front of the house. Isla opened the back door, making a gesture to invite him to go in.

“Am I in trouble for teleporting those FBI agents?”

She shoved him in and slammed the car’s door, almost crushing his fingers, got in the front seat, and drove off, tires screeching. Twenty seconds later, they stopped in the parking lot from the day before, and Rowan’s eyes widened.

“What the fuck?” The church, the northeast-situated one, had been a building of medium size the day before. Overnight, it had become a cathedral of epic proportions, mixing Gothic arches with Art Nouveau decorations. Isla faced him, her voice muffled by the security window.

“See what you’ve done, now?" Isla yelled so he could hear her through the reinforced window. "That thing you unleashed changed the church into fucking Downton Abbey."

“You mean Westminster Abbey?”

“And the whole town into a Disney amusement park.” She drove off again, but this time at a snail's pace, allowing him to take in the view of the valley. On the other side, the part of the town tucked inside a meander was now surrounded by thick medieval stone walls. The river itself had also changed. Muddy yesterday, now it rolled with majestic and deep pure waters.

“Some properties were moved around or changed, to make place for the new stuff,” Isla said. “We have tons of complaints about that.”

They arrived in a large square, surrounded by cute buildings in German romantic style that would have looked appropriate in Bavaria, but less so in West Virginia. Scores of people were walking and staring around, their voices akin to the buzzing of a beehive.

"In there," Isla said curtly, pointing to the larger building. Rowan could tell she was refraining from dragging him by force. The people around the square began to cheer, clap, or wave at them. He waved back instinctively. "Let's go already," the policewoman said through her clenched teeth, elbowing him discreetly, but with enough force to make him hiccup.

“Can you at least explain to me what's up with all this hostility?” Rowan pleaded as they walked on. "I had no idea this would happen."

"Very well," Isla sneered and paused as they entered the lobby, which was covered in intricate wood panels, and had a large cloakroom, like a theatre. “Last night, everybody got a message in their minds, phone, or social media. The title said: ‘Welcome to the Apocalypse!' and there were balloons and confetti emojis all around it. Then, it continued: 'A UFO crashed, and because of that, your planet has been Awakened to Mana and the System. A grave menace had appeared near Elkins, yet a Hero saved the day, clearing the mini-Dungeon and using its core to protect your Town and County. You’re safe inside their limits.’ Then, people were sent a video of that Grove Event, with the DireDeers. You appeared… heroic. We were given an hour to vote if we wanted you to become our Count, in a Constitutional Monarchy of sorts. Guess what? You won with seventy percent. People are stupid, what can I say. Then, during the night, everybody in the new center town got sleepy, by a spell or something, and in the morning, everything changed.”

"But I have nothing to do with it!" Rowan yelled, balling his fists. "All I wanted was for me and the kids to be safe."

"Then I guess you should make up your mind," Isla shrugged, waving her finger around. "Because this is supposed to be your mansion, your Lordship. I think you'll enjoy it," she chuckled. "It has a very… peculiar style."

Rowan opened his mouth but closed it back as a blue text appeared in his view.

Quest: Make up your mind. Issued by the System at Isla Culloden's suggestion.

Earth has irrevocably changed, for the better or the worse. In this new world, only a few have the power to stand up and protect their fellow citizens.

You have until midnight to accept or reject the position bestowed upon you by the System and the will of the people.

"I need a moment!" Rowan said, closing his eyes.

"Welcome!" a voice startled him the next second, ruining his chance. "I'm Jim, the mayor." A man in his early sixties, with shabby chic clothes and the vibe of an old retired teacher rushed to shake the younger man's hand. "Come, the council is here."

Fuck… Can't I have a moment alone? Rowan sighed but followed.

[Elkins Town’s Core AI to Rowan]: I suggest you go with the flow for now, you'll have the rest of the day to decide upon your quest. Know that I would be delighted if you'd accept to be my… master. Why don't you start by inspecting the building? I put a lot of hard work into designing the most exquisite multipurpose mansion for you, following the newest trends in the multiverse.

Ah, here you are! Why didn't you say anything?

[Elkins Town’s Core AI to Rowan]: I was obliged to enter privacy mode as you engaged in… lewd conduct with the human female known as Grace. But now I'm back and glad to help. Just say the word.

Can't you lose the color and the long name for starters? I get dizzy just by reading it… Can I just call you Cory or something? Because you're, you know… a core? And you surely sound like a gal… Quite a lovely voice, I mean no offense.

There was a short pause before the entity's voice returned to his mind, this time without the color.

[Cory]: Excellent suggestion. I—

The AI continued to talk, but so were the people who were in turn shaking Rowan's hand, presenting themselves. He realized he had entered a large hall without noticing. About ten men and women of different ages were saying things that made no sense, often speaking over each other. Rowan nodded pretending to listen, while walking his eyes around.

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The room was about a hundred and some feet long on sixty large, and had large stained glass windows, with flowery motifs in art-nouveau style. The parquet was intricate and shined, had a small water feature in the center, a fountain with a nymph statue, but a strange detail contrasted with the rest. On the farthest wall, inside a massive fireplace ten feet tall and at least three deep, stood a giant wood or charcoal barbecue grill.

[Cory]: I notice your interest in the piece de resistance. What can be more posh than an open space in which you can entertain the guests with a barbecue during a ball? The newest fashion in the quadrant.

Err…

"And we hope to have the plumbing done within the week," the mayor said. "There's plenty of rooms, we'll make some into bathrooms."

"Sorry?" Rowan shook his head.

"Oh, you don't know, right… Come, I'll show you the one and only toilet we found in the building." The mayor escorted him to a door on a side of the hall. Marked with a sign reading 'toilet', it gave first into a tight couloir, then into a small adjacent room, four by four feet. Inside were only two features: a hole in the ground, a Turkish-style squat toilet, displaying total darkness beneath, and a sort of faucet stuck in the wall. A small pile of paper squares, cut from newspapers, sat near the hole. " We couldn't figure out what the wall device does…" the man confessed. "But I did a number one in there, and it… disappears. Maybe it disintegrates matter…"

[Cory]: It teleports human detritus into a recycling plant, out of town. The design of the toilet is based on the most commonly used type of facility on Earth. The wall device is at the same time a water or a sonic cleaner, there is a rune that activates—

"Sorry!" Rowan yelled. He had touched the rune at the same time as the AI had spoken. A small amount of mana had trickled out of his hand, feeding the device, and a beam of water had missed him by an inch, hitting the mayor in the face.

"It's OK," the older man shouted as they both ran out, closing the door after them. "At least it works."

[Cory]: Don't worry, the water flow stops by itself. Very Mana efficient. This facility can serve up to thirty persons per hour. Based on the average intergalactic time one spends in—

"Look, sir," Rowan addressed the elderly man, "I… don't think I'm cut for this job… It's… just too much."

"I see…" the man nodded slowly, wiping his face with a handkerchief. "Why don't you sit down and talk with us a bit, then?" He gestured toward another door, and followed by the rest of the people present, arrived in a conference room. At least it had a normal table and chairs. Rowan was obliged to take the main seat, as everybody else had occupied the rest.

"Well… you're aware the world changed, right?" the mayor continued.

"Yeah… but how much?" Rowan said.

[Cory]: Just a bit now, but it will be by a lot very soon.

"Mutated animals started to appear around the county… strange rabbits with horns, snails that growl and jump you…

[Cory]: About 1% of the fauna will mutate inside a high Mana Zone. 0.1 percent outside.

"The good part is we didn't have any fatalities… that AI sent us warnings on our phones… People started to hunt them, but most failed and had to run… fortunately those beasts didn't follow."

[Cory]: Mutated beasts stay near small Mana nodes. Territorial.

"Those who succeeded, though, got that thing… the System? We have about… I dunno… Isla?"

"Maybe fifty more classed people appeared in the county. Most are Hunter class, uncommon tier. And a few Rares. Two Scouts, and one Ranger… a guy who used a bow," the policewoman said.

"But none is so strong as you, son," the mayor said. "We… kinda hope you'd stay and help… Who knows what dangers lurk out there for us?"

[Cory]: A lot and then some.

"I'd wish to offer you a huge salary, and bonuses, but frankly, considering what the government did… and what the AI says, our money might not be worth much, very soon."

"The government?" Rowan frowned.

"Look," the mayor forwarded him his phone, displaying a short video. The town, viewed from afar, was enclosed in a forcefield. To the east of the valley, the landscape had transformed into a nightmarish desert. Burnt, destroyed, some stumps showing here and there, and hills battered into piles of mud.

“My God!” Rowan exclaimed. "What happened?"

"The government decided that we're dangerous, and threw a few tacticals nukes at us… The AI filmed this and forwarded it to me and the rest of the Council. It said the radiation and the shock were stopped by the County quantum forcefield."

"Shit! How many more hits can we withstand."

"The AI said there's no limit."

[Cory]: Nukes are no match for a Quantum Forcefield. I absorbed the energy, transforming it into Concentrated Mana and XP. If I may insist, please accept your new position. There's next to zero chance any government will survive the Change. I gave them a couple of years, at most. There will be chaos, and the US will try to hunt or use the Awakened by any means. Leaving the County will only paint a target on your back, for you and all your family and friends.

Rowan remained silent for a long moment, drumming his fingers on the tableboard. "I need to think about it… You'll have my answer before the evening." With that said, he rose and left the room, then the building.

"Wait!"

It was Isla, shouting and running after him.

"What part in I need—"

"If you leave, don't go and say goodbye… just do it… I'll bring you your stuff," Isla panted. "Lizzie will hurt less."

"I'm… not yet decided…." Rowan said, a pang of sadness clenching his heart for a second. The little girl's funny image briefly flashed before his eyes. He liked kids a lot, and planned, in a pipe dream of his own, to have his own at some point in time… with the proper gal, of course.

"Let's go to the countryside, you can hike or relax until you make up your mind," Isla opened the police car's door, offering him a front seat this time. "We can even spar if you want… Thomas told me you're a good fighter. I'm a mixed martial arts practitioner."

"Can I drive?" he asked, grinning. He always wished to drive a police car, at full speed and sirens roaring.

"Don't push your luck," she frowned at him.

"Where are we going?" Rowan asked ten minutes later when they entered the hills.

"To my mountain lodge," she replied curtly. "My parents have a big chunk of land up there."

"Nice," he nodded.

"Would be, if they used their heads to make some money. There's a scout summer camp that wants to rent it long term, but my folks say kids running around would scare the protected species."

"What protected species?"

"There are none, but who knows, they might be someday, my folks said. It's just how they are."

Isla was sulking, obviously, and he didn't push the subject. Parent issues were a delicate matter.

"So, a walk in the woods or some training?"

They had entered a private dirt road, giving to a small wooden lodge, and she parked aside it. All around was a large meadow, quite pretty, and in the back forest. The front view gave to the valley, and the hills looked gorgeous and inviting. Yet, a hike would have only stirred more thoughts and worries in him. Some physical exercise was better to clear his mind.

"Training sounds good," he nodded. "Do you have some protection gear?"

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"Haha… you wish…"

His supposedly sarcastic laugh faded, as the worrying blue text appeared.

Quest: Hand to Hand Combat Training

Isla Culloden won multiple National martial arts championships. Spar with her without being humiliated too much.

Reward: +1 Lvl. +1 AP

How can Isla issue quests? Rowan wondered at the same time.

[Cory]: Everybody in the County can spawn quests for you. Expect a lot of kids and old ladies asking to get their cat down from—

Can I do the same?

[Cory]: Of course, but your quests will be of a higher tier, like Main Quests, Missions, or Raids. You can pass on the quests you don't want to do, and they'll go to the Quest Board, the big display in the new Central Square, for other people to take.

"Ouch!" he jerked. Isla had flickered him in the nose.

"Are you sleeping or what? You froze."

"Sorry, I was reading a quest. Yeah, let's go for it." Rowan took a step back and put himself in a boxing stance. A second later, after dashing forward with inhuman speed, Isla kicked him behind the right knee, making him fall on the left one, then continued with a second hit on the back, hard, before retreating at a safe distance, dancing around him so fast he barely could follow.

"You're slow as a snail," she taunted him.

"You asked for it." Plunging, Rowan grabbed Isla's legs, making her fall to the ground, and followed with a submission attempt. He got an elbow in the face but persisted. To his disappointment, she twisted her body and pushed him away, jumping up on her feet immediately with the power of her core muscles.

“You did some wrestling," she said.

"Nothing serious, just for fun."

"Fun won't cut it anymore.” Grinning, Isla spun and threw a heel into his arm, and that was because he had managed to protect his ribs at the last moment. Rowan retreated but it was not enough. She closed the distance and hit him in the jaw with two jabs.

“Fuuck…” Rowan wailed, falling on his buttocks, his head spinning.

“C’mon, get up," Isla beckoned with both her hands, dancing back with boxing steps. "Monsters won't give you the luxury of a break.”

“I yield,” Rowan said, rising and sweeping the dirt from his clothes.

"There's no slacking allowed in a real combat situation," Isla smirked. "You know what? Let's make it more realistic." She went to the car, opened the glove compartment, and retrieved her gun. "Run, Forest, Run. Ten…"

"Are you mad?" Rowan yelled.

"Nine… At zero, I shoot. Eight… Seven… Zero," she skipped the count.

"Fuck!" There was no other choice but to run into the woods, which he did as fast as he could. A gunshot followed, but he heard the bullet whistling way above. It was a warning shot.

[Cory]: We have a problem!

"You think so? She's crazy!"

[Cory]: No, she thinks you're immune to bullets. The perk you have.

"How does she know?"

[Cory]: She Inspected you a couple of times today. She doesn't realize it works only in the town. Displayed Inspect results can be tricky.

Well, tell her!

[Cory]: How? Sending her an SMS? My telepathic communications are restricted to you. The settings we were supposed to talk about.

"Fuck."

[Cory]: You’re repeating yourself.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" Isla shouted.

He darted onward, trying to go over a ridge to have some cover. A couple of bullets whizzed over his head.

Beam me up or something.

[Cory]: Teleportation of friendly targets is momentarily blocked for safety reasons.

What?

[Cory]: Teleportation is just a word chosen so you understand. The real thing is different. What is available now is a warp wave that sends hostiles away. 50% fatality rate for unclassed. And the garbage disposal, but it doesn't work on living things.

“Isla, my bullet resistance perk doesn't work here!” Rowan yelled.

“You think you can trick me?” another bullet and a scream arrived back. "Take it seriously."

She was gaining on him, undoubtedly because she knew the terrain. And Rowan had never been a fan of running.

[Cory]: I might have a solution, but you won't like it.

"Shoot. Fuck… that was a bad pun…"

[Cory]: Stay behind a tree or something and let out an arm or leg. If she wounds you for real, she'll be marked as hostile and warped out.

"Bad idea. I don't want her to die."

[Cory]: She's a Classed, her chance of survival is seventy-five percent. Or play safe, and accept leadership. A permanent ruler has access to the Rezz function. Once per day feat, you'll be resurrected in town.

Will she still be teleported out?

[Cory]: Correct. It's an automatic process, I can't interfere with it until you allow me. And settings cannot be accessed in combat. Trust me, it's the best solution.

Still too much of a risk to kill her.

Plunging in a ravine, Rowan tried to turn back on his tracks, hoping to trick Isla into going farther into the woods while he would get back to the car. It didn't work, only offering her a shorter path to him. Her steps were approaching fast.

Changing direction all of a sudden, Rowan grabbed a tree, used it as a pivot, and ran at the incoming Isla at full speed. It surprised her, and then they were grappling, turning around, each trying to get enough leverage to throw the other on the ground. Grabbing Isla’s right hand and the gun in desperation, he clung on, ignoring the fists she abundantly gifted him, trying to move the weapon away from his vitals. Then, they paused, both exhausted, looking eye to eye, the revolver in between them, his hands on the barrel, hers on the grip.

Rowan smiled, tears creeping into his eyes. “And yet we both reached for the gun,” he sang with a creaky voice.

That made her jerk and press the trigger. The bullet hit Rowan in the upper chest, a sharp pain going through his shoulder. He fell backward, dazed, wishing to lay down and sleep. The AI's voice extracted him from torpor.

[Cory]: Get your wits back together. There's good news and bad news. Good news, you survived and cleared the Training quest.

The bad news was evident. Isla was enveloped in a blue haze, paralyzed. She was struggling to free herself, eyes widened, but to no avail. The gun was on the ground.

[Cory]: I'm trying to stop the teleporting but it's not working. Think of allowing me to access the required settings.

Cory's voice sounded panicked, and so was Rowan. Ignoring his aching shoulder, he screamed: "I allow Cory to access the teleporting settings."

The blue light diminished, but only for a couple of seconds, regaining the same intensity. Isla was now screaming, but he couldn't hear her, only see her widened mouth.

[Cory]: Doesn't work, the teleportation was initiated before the setting change and she's still marked as hostile. Suggestion. Give her a Mission quest to increase your resistance to pain, retroactively.

"I'm giving Isla Culloden the quest to shoot me so I get more resistant to pain, retroactively!" Rowan shouted. The blue haze flickered and disappeared. Isla fell on all fours, panting, and he rushed to her. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, struggling to get up and inhaling with whizzing sounds. "I… couldn't breathe… see or hear… anything. What was that shit, a spell?"

"The county protocols tried to beam you out because you hurt me," he explained briefly.

"Oh my God!" Isla gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands. "You're hurt!"

"I tried to tell you… my perk doesn't work out of town."

"So sorry," she yelled, tearing his shirt apart to reveal the wound. "Let me stop the bleeding… Fuck, we need to get back to the lodge…"

[Cory]: It's just a flesh wound, your regen is already healing it. It will be repaired in an hour or less.

"It's just a flesh wound, it's already closing," Rowan repeated the AI's words. Feeling the wound with his finger, he felt the bullet under his skin, maybe an inch deep. Squirming, he pulled it out using his index and threw it away.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!"

Isla was having a panic attack, bent in two and heaving. He patted her on the back. "It's OK, really… But let's stop here. You tased me, now shot me, I think I had enough pain training."

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" she repeated, still in shock, then retched and vomited. He took her by the shoulders and supported her until she finished emptying her stomach. "It's… the first time I shot someone…" he confessed five minutes later, putting herself back together and picking up her gun. "Stupid idea…. I thought… I'm so sorry…"

"It's OK," he squeezed her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "Actually… sparing like this is a bad idea, in the context… but maybe some preparation beforehand is necessary."

They returned to the lodge in silence, with her leading the way. She opened the door with a key hidden on a beam, and they entered. The interior was cozy, a bit soppy, but nice, with many patchwork blankets and dried flower arrangements. Isla washed his wound with sterile water, abundantly pouring iodine afterward and dressing it with a gauze so bit it could have patched up the Titanic. Or so Cory joked. Finally, they settled on the porch with a cup of coffee in hand and a box of stale cookies on a table.

There was small talk afterward, which Rowan did mechanically, Isla excusing herself every two minutes or so. The view over the hills was beautiful, and a part of the town could be seen too. It was pleasant…

I accept to be the Count, permanently! Rowan suddenly thought.

Quest objective accomplished: You are now the Count of Elkins County.

"Really?" Isla exclaimed, checking her phone, which had buzzed from a notification. "You accepted? I thought that… after I did to you, you'd—"

"You got a message?"

"Yeah… Are you sure?"

[Cory]: Messages related to the County's welfare are automatically sent to the local network. I'm very happy you accepted. I have a feeling we'll do great things together.

"No, I'm not sure," Rowan shook his head. "But it seems the best choice, considering."

"I'm… glad you said yes," she said with a soft voice, lowering her eyes. "I'll try to… err… be of help from now on? I mean—"

"Sure… Do you mind if we go back to town now? I'd like to change and shower."